Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

This conversation is moderated according to USA TODAY's
community rules.
Please read the rules before joining the discussion.

The 15 best places for geeks, nerds and gaming in metro Phoenix

Thunderbird Lounge | Calling the historic 1930’s Wagon Wheel Building home makes sense for this beloved haven for all things arcade and nostalgic. Pinball is making a comeback so there’s a machine to get you up to speed if you’re rusty. There’s a giant Jenga in the back, or try your reflexes at arcade games like Donkey Kong Jr., Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man, D-Five and Nintendo PlayChoice-10 contests like Super Mario Brothers 3, Contra, Double Dragon, and Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. Sip on a wide selection of beers ($3-$7) while snacking on chips and popcorn ($3) or pizza ($8-$10). Details: 710 W. Montecito Ave. Phoenix. 602-283-4621, facebook.com/ThunderbirdLoungePHX. Courtesy of Jeremiah Gratza

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

Thunderbird Lounge | Calling the historic 1930’s Wagon Wheel Building home makes sense for this beloved haven for all things arcade and nostalgic. Pinball is making a comeback so there’s a machine to get you up to speed if you’re rusty. There’s a giant Jenga in the back, or try your reflexes at arcade games like Donkey Kong Jr., Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man, D-Five and Nintendo PlayChoice-10 contests like Super Mario Brothers 3, Contra, Double Dragon, and Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. Sip on a wide selection of beers ($3-$7) while snacking on chips and popcorn ($3) or pizza ($8-$10). Details: 710 W. Montecito Ave. Phoenix. 602-283-4621, facebook.com/ThunderbirdLoungePHX.
Courtesy of Jeremiah Gratza

The Bonus Round | Proudly touting itself as “The Valley’s Only Nerd Bar,” this spot offers board games, arcade classics like Joust, pinball, video games and rare finds like the Japanese version of Jurassic Park. Fuel up on a chicken, pork or veggie gordita ($6.99) pumped up with Monterey Jack, fajita-style onions and red peppers, salsa and sour cream. Details: 24 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-374-6936, facebook.com/BonusRoundPhx Jeremiah Toller/Special for The Republic

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

The Bonus Round | Proudly touting itself as “The Valley’s Only Nerd Bar,” this spot offers board games, arcade classics like Joust, pinball, video games and rare finds like the Japanese version of Jurassic Park. Fuel up on a chicken, pork or veggie gordita ($6.99) pumped up with Monterey Jack, fajita-style onions and red peppers, salsa and sour cream. Details: 24 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-374-6936, facebook.com/BonusRoundPhx
Jeremiah Toller/Special for The Republic

Cobra Arcade Bar | More than 200 vintage arcade games await, as does a list of beers and wine, with food trucks at the ready. Wax nostalgia with games like Galaga, Mario Brothers, Frogger, Donkey Kong and Space Invaders. Details: 801 N. Second St., Phoenix. 602- 595-5873, cobraarcadebar.com Jim Louvau/Special for The Republic

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

Cobra Arcade Bar | More than 200 vintage arcade games await, as does a list of beers and wine, with food trucks at the ready. Wax nostalgia with games like Galaga, Mario Brothers, Frogger, Donkey Kong and Space Invaders. Details: 801 N. Second St., Phoenix. 602- 595-5873, cobraarcadebar.com
Jim Louvau/Special for The Republic

Rewined Beer and Wine Bar | If you’re a fan of the 80’s, this place is a bonus. In addition to dozens of board games like Operation, Upwords and Battleship, cassette tapes serve as bar top décor and floppy disks as coasters. Local selections are among the rotating selection of 130 beers, ciders and wines. Bring in your own munchies, or snack on free popcorn and other bites like cheese puffs, peanut butter pretzel bites, grilled cheese ($2-$3) and local Syrian Sweets Exchange baklava that supports refugees ($5 for 4). Also, 10 percent of every draft pint sold is donated to a local school or charity. Details: 3308 N 24th St, Phoenix. 602-429-9660, facebook.com/rewinedphx Rewined Beer and Wine Bar

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

Rewined Beer and Wine Bar | If you’re a fan of the 80’s, this place is a bonus. In addition to dozens of board games like Operation, Upwords and Battleship, cassette tapes serve as bar top décor and floppy disks as coasters. Local selections are among the rotating selection of 130 beers, ciders and wines. Bring in your own munchies, or snack on free popcorn and other bites like cheese puffs, peanut butter pretzel bites, grilled cheese ($2-$3) and local Syrian Sweets Exchange baklava that supports refugees ($5 for 4). Also, 10 percent of every draft pint sold is donated to a local school or charity. Details: 3308 N 24th St, Phoenix. 602-429-9660, facebook.com/rewinedphx
Rewined Beer and Wine Bar

Snakes and Lattes | Be prepared to get your game on with hundreds of board battles in this Canada-based gathering spot’s library. For $5, play all day with games like Monopoly, Word Slam and Drunk, Stoned or Stupid. A lineup of food, cocktails, beer, wine and coffee keeps patrons fueled for hours. Poutine fans will find good options like the southwest version ($12.95) with tinga chicken, cotija and pico de gallo and a dessert rendition ($7.95) featuring funnel cake fries, powdered sugar, ice cream and salted caramel. Details: 20 W. Sixth St., Tempe. 480-361-6644, snakesandlattes.com/location/tempe. Snakes and Lattes

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

Snakes and Lattes | Be prepared to get your game on with hundreds of board battles in this Canada-based gathering spot’s library. For $5, play all day with games like Monopoly, Word Slam and Drunk, Stoned or Stupid. A lineup of food, cocktails, beer, wine and coffee keeps patrons fueled for hours. Poutine fans will find good options like the southwest version ($12.95) with tinga chicken, cotija and pico de gallo and a dessert rendition ($7.95) featuring funnel cake fries, powdered sugar, ice cream and salted caramel. Details: 20 W. Sixth St., Tempe. 480-361-6644, snakesandlattes.com/location/tempe.
Snakes and Lattes

The Grid: Games and Growlers | A dizzying lineup of 600-plus video games that run the gamut from vintage to contemporary and kid movie-inspired to grown-up combat action. Ponder and endless selection of Atari and Sega offerings or indulge your inner career fantasies with WrestleMania or James Bond 007. The straight-forward menu provides basic sustenance like mac & cheese bites ($10) and popcorn shrimp ($8). There’s a burger with fried egg on it ($13) and wings ($9-$14) that include a vegan version with fried cauliflower ($7). Details: 525 S Gilbert Road, Mesa. 480-621-8088, thegridmesa.com. The Grid: Games and Growlers

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

The Grid: Games and Growlers | A dizzying lineup of 600-plus video games that run the gamut from vintage to contemporary and kid movie-inspired to grown-up combat action. Ponder and endless selection of Atari and Sega offerings or indulge your inner career fantasies with WrestleMania or James Bond 007. The straight-forward menu provides basic sustenance like mac & cheese bites ($10) and popcorn shrimp ($8). There’s a burger with fried egg on it ($13) and wings ($9-$14) that include a vegan version with fried cauliflower ($7). Details: 525 S Gilbert Road, Mesa. 480-621-8088, thegridmesa.com.
The Grid: Games and Growlers

Modern Round | Here, the video game spotlight is on the visual shooting lounge, where participants at all shooting levels test their skills in drills, live-action missions and game scenarios in nearly every genre. Hourly rates range from $10-$45. A full bar is accompanied by a menu that spans every course from starters to desserts to complement a vibe that’s more upscale than a typical arcade. It includes a hot dog wellington ($12), mahi mahi tacos ($14) and filet mignon featuring Arizona-grown Angus beef that makes its way into tacos ($16) and as a 6-ounce steak partnered with mashed potatoes and vegetables ($25). Details: 8320 W. Mariners Way, Peoria. 623-388-6900, modernround.com. Yu Zhang/Special for The Republic

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

Modern Round | Here, the video game spotlight is on the visual shooting lounge, where participants at all shooting levels test their skills in drills, live-action missions and game scenarios in nearly every genre. Hourly rates range from $10-$45. A full bar is accompanied by a menu that spans every course from starters to desserts to complement a vibe that’s more upscale than a typical arcade. It includes a hot dog wellington ($12), mahi mahi tacos ($14) and filet mignon featuring Arizona-grown Angus beef that makes its way into tacos ($16) and as a 6-ounce steak partnered with mashed potatoes and vegetables ($25). Details: 8320 W. Mariners Way, Peoria. 623-388-6900, modernround.com.
Yu Zhang/Special for The Republic

Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

Wanna play? Here are 14 Phoenix-area bars for arcade and board games

Thunderbird Lounge | Calling the historic 1930’s Wagon Wheel Building home makes sense for this beloved haven for all things arcade and nostalgic. Pinball is making a comeback so there’s a machine to get you up to speed if you’re rusty. There’s a giant Jenga in the back, or try your reflexes at arcade games like Donkey Kong Jr., Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man, D-Five and Nintendo PlayChoice-10 contests like Super Mario Brothers 3, Contra, Double Dragon, and Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. Sip on a wide selection of beers ($3-$7) while snacking on chips and popcorn ($3) or pizza ($8-$10). Details: 710 W. Montecito Ave. Phoenix. 602-283-4621, facebook.com/ThunderbirdLoungePHX.

Bonus Round is the latest in arcade bars opened its doors in Phoenix on May 13, 2016, drawing in a line that stretched down the sidewalk. Bartenders kept the drinks flowing while customers played video games and table games.(Photo: Jeremiah Toller/Special to azcentral.com)

For geeks, there's nothing better than being surrounded by people or environments with similar passions and interests in movies, games and comic books.

Metro Phoenix is home to a few nerdy sanctuaries. There are places that serve alcohol, because sometimes it's fun to drink a little while playing on a vintage Sega Genesis. Others are family-friendly spots where you can sip an espresso while perusing comic books, or learn to play tabletop games with fellow adventurers.

Go forth and find your haven.

PHOENIX

Bonus Round

The barcade is the brainchild of James Goshow and Jacob Rendel. The cousins, who grew up in Phoenix, began noticing great arcade bars across the country more than a year ago. All of the machines, including Street Fighter II, Galaga, Gauntlet Dark Legacy and NBA Jam, are free to play. The Jurassic Park game is the Japanese version, and the compressor still works, so users move while they play. The drink list features a variety of draft and bottled beers, many from Arizona, and wine and cocktails. Food includes pizza, sandwiches and "Totchos" (tater-tot nachos).

FilmBar

This independent movie theater in downtown Phoenix screens indie, foreign, retro and cult movies, making it a popular spot for film geeks. It also has a small bar that sells beer, wine and snacks, including locally made tamales.

Cobra Arcade Bar

The bar has 40 arcade games — from Punch Out and Q-Bert to Donkey Kong and Altered Beast — each costing 25 cents to $1 a play, and a bar menu with video game-inspired cocktails. Cobra Arcade Bar is funky and industrial with a black, white and gray color palette and pops of color and geometric patterns. The playful artwork and bold designs pay homage to retro video and arcade games. Show up early on the weekends and late nights because there's often a line out the door. Maybe the owners' upcoming pinball lounge will alleviate the lines?

All About Books and Comics

This shop has been open for more than three decades and they have the fan base to prove it. They offer a huge selection of new and back-issue comics, claiming more than 1 million in stock. New merchandise is listed on the website every week, as well as the weekly deal.

Alan and Marsha Giroux, owners of All About Books and Comics.(Photo: Amy Edelen/Cronkite News)

EAST VALLEY

Cult Classics Arizona

Every month or so, a group of film geeks descend on Tempe movie theaters. They watch cult classics, create and buy illustrations of the movie and show off their best retro T-shirts. Each screening draws 200 to 300 people and many sell out. Past screenings include "Poltergeist," "Pulp Fiction" and "Army of Darkness." Follow the group on social media for the latest screening details.

Cult Classics Arizona is a group of film buffs who attend screenings together in the East Valley.(Photo: Photo: Erika Peinado/Cult Classics Arizona)

The Gaming Zone

Upon walking in The Gaming Zone, gamers are greeted with a colorful mural of favorite characters including Nintendo's Mario and Kirby. But they'll also find a wide selection of new and used video games to buy and gamers can sell their unwanted games here, too. There's a small room on the right that houses arcade games to play. And they regularly host video game tournaments for Smash Bros. and fighting games like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat.

Gotham City Comics and Collectibles

Besides the variety of comics offered here, there are in-store events including "Doctor Whosday" on Tuesday, when people watch "Doctor Who" and do show-themed trivia, Dungeons and Dragons encounters from 6 -9 p.m. on Wednesdays and a class on yo-yoing every Saturday.

Gotham City Comics | Coffee is the perfect excuse to drop into a comic-book store if you have no clue about comics. It's one of the reasons Gotham City Comics is known for its sense of community, as well as its participation in downtown Mesa's 2nd Friday Night Out and other events. In-store events are scheduled almost every day, including "Doctor Whosday" on Tuesday, when people watch "Doctor Who" and do show-themed trivia, and a class on yo-yoing every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m.(Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic)

The Grid: Games and Growlers

This bar offers about 600 arcade and console games, and it's open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. They sell classic bar food with a twist – including vegan options. There are events almost every night like Rockband Mondays, Jackbox Party game nights on Tuesdays and Karaoke Sundays.

StarFighters Arcade

This all-ages arcade open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays has more than 32 pinball machines and more than 130 classic video arcade games. Gamers need to purchase a membership of either $11 per day or $38 per month for unlimited play. The monthly option lets the holder bring two guests for free during the membership term. To properly throwback to the 80's, snacks from the neon decade are available with modern soft drinks and candy.

Imperial Outpost Games

Imperial carries all things tabletop, RPG, miniatures and non-collectible card gaming. They have about 20 tables open for gaming or miniature figure painting, and people are welcome to stop by and play whenever they like. There's also a separate room for private parties. It’s a popular spot for the Unnamed Association of Gamers, a Phoenix board-gaming club.

ManaWerx

This gaming location specializes in Magic: The Gathering and lets players congregate every evening, though people of all skill levels also are playing Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z and Pathfinder all day.

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Samurai Comics

Patrons play Magic The Gathering at Samurai Comics Sunday, May 24, 2015 in Glendale.(Photo: David Kadlubowski/The Republic, David Kadlubowski/The Republic)

The Phoenix location is their largest, and is one of the largest comic-book specialty stores in the country. People can gather to play Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars: Destiny and board games whenever they'd like. Phoenix also hosts yo-yo lessons on Mondays, Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments on Tuesdays and Sundays, and Pokémon League nights on Wednesdays. For Gundam fans, join Samurai's building nights on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.